How to Handle Cockroaches on Walls

“I live in an apartment but keep finding roaches on the walls. Can roaches climb walls?”

Cockroaches are expert climbers, able to crawl on walls and along ceilings thanks to special claws and adhesive pads. Rougher surfaces like brick, drywall, stone, and wood offer plenty of notches and ridges for tiny feet to grip. Even trees and utility lines make great climbing surfaces, allowing roaches to scurry up, into and between buildings—even apartment blocks.

Cockroaches are also capable of ‘rapid inversion’, meaning they can scurry up, over, and under surfaces without slowing down. This can make it easy for them to hide in wall cracks, under old furniture, and in other tight spots. Because of this, you may have heard rustling sounds from inside your walls, or even evidence like old chitin (shed exoskeleton), eggs, and droppings.

That does not mean cockroaches can climb all walls. Smoother materials like glass, metal, and porcelain can be harder to grip. Several traps even use this to stop roaches from escaping. However, some species like German cockroaches and American cockroaches have adhesive foot pads that allow them to travel vertically even on smooth surfaces.

If you see roaches on your walls, you may well have more hiding in your home. In this case, it’s best to arrange cockroach control services with a professional. They’ll find any hiding spots and entry points in your walls, ceilings, or floors, allowing them to exterminate roaches and stop them from coming back.